My Lover's Smile
by IceAngel2
Summary: Oliver's story of how, when, and why he fell in love with one Percy A. Weasley. (One chapter ficlet that I needed to get out of my system.)


Title: My Lover's Smile

Author: IceAngel

Email: IceAngel1026@aol.com

Status: Complete

Category: Romance and a little bit of Humor

Spoilers: Um...I don't really think so...

Book/Sequel: Takes place during book III of HP. Have a sequel planned out, but we'll see how it goes.

Rating: PG-13 or R (for language)

Warnings: None when it comes to anything to do with violence or sex. It is based on my own timeline though, so you could view it as non-cannon. 

Summary: Oliver's story of when he fell for Percy. 

Disclaimer: Oliver Wood, Percy Weasley, and all other HP characters belong to J K Rowling, Scholastic Books, and Warner Brothers. I'm just playing with them for a while. 

  
  


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When asked, "when did you fall in love with so-and-so" people usually answer with the standard issue response of: "Well, it was more of a gradual thing. I think I've always loved so-and-so, there wasn't just one moment that did it for me, ya know?" This, however, was not the case when it came to Oliver Wood. In fact, the recent Hogwarts graduate would claim that he could tell you the exact moment he first fell in love with his lover, right down to the date and time of the event. 

It was 9:07 pm, Saturday the 10th of December in the year 1999. It was the young Gryffindor's seventh year, to be exact. The Gryffindor Quidditch team had just lost to Hufflepuff on that fateful day, and needless to say, Oliver Wood had not been in the best of moods...

  
  


***

  
  


"I swear to God, Wood, if you're in there trying to drown yourself again, I'm not going to save you this time around!" 

He couldn't help but grin when he heard his dormmate's voice carry into their shared bathroom. 

"It's only a stupid game anyway! No need to kill yourself over it!"

But it wasn't just a game. Well, at least not to Oliver Christian Wood. Quidditch was more than that...it was his life! Quidditch... Quidditch was like oxygen! Quidditch was a many splendored thing! Quidditch lifted him up where he belonged! All he needed was Quidditch!*

But he didn't expect a book-worm-like model student-turned-Prefect-turned-Head Boy Percival Alexander Weasley to understand that. It was actually one of the many givens in their very unique relationship. Oliver was the stereotypical jock, and acted as such...in public. Percy was the intelligent, studious, stickler for rules nerd, and he acted as such as well...in public. 

It was the "in public" part that made most people roll their eyes at the mere notion the two seventeen year olds were friends. It was hard enough for most of Hogwarts to believe that the two of them had survived seven years together as the only two boys sorted into Gryffindor in their year. Most people just left that tiny miracle to the belief that the two boys hadn't spoken a word to one another...ever. 

What they didn't know was the fact that the two of them actually enjoyed one another's company. They had learned to live with one another, as most flatmates do, and in time came to appreciate the quirks that made their Seventh Year Gryffindor counterpart. It didn't take them long to figure out that it was the differences between them that made them so close. Their opposite points of view definitely made for more interesting conversations. 

The thing was, Oliver and Percy had a lot more in common than one would think. It was the jock versus the nerd, of course, but that was if you took a very shallow view of their relationship. Upon further scrutiny, one would figure out that Oliver's drive in all things Quidditch, and Percy's drive in all things academic, both came from the same place within the two teens. Wood and Weasley both had an undeniable thirst for excellence and success in their respective "obsessions." 

So, in at least one way the two of them understood one another better than anyone else. Oliver respected Percy's need to excel in his studies, just like he knew Percy respected his dedication to Quidditch. Sometimes it seemed to him that the red head was the only one that could fully comprehend his need for perfection out on the field. They connected with that, and the resulting relationship was one that Oliver truly cherished. It was the strongest, most unique, yet simple, relationship he had in his life. 

"Oliver?" He looked up in time to see the red headed Head Boy walk into the bathroom. "You know, you're not going to get any better looking if you keep staring at yourself in the mirror. It doesn't have any magical qualities in that way." 

"Oh, what would you know about it, Weasley?" he asked with a grin. "You don't spend any time in front of the mirror, so how would you know if it had any magic in it or not?"

His grin grew when Percy arched a perfectly formed eyebrow. It was what he'd secretly dubbed the "Weasley face." It was actually quite sexy. 

There he admitted it! 

He thought his roommate was sexy. The fact that Percy was another male had never bothered him before. In fact Oliver had known since puberty that his preferences swung in the other direction than most other boys. By the time he was a sixth year most of Hogwarts knew as well. (Many female tears were shed that night, and there had been much celebration in some of the boy's quarters.) 

No, the main problem that he had with his infatuation was the fact that it was...well...PERCY. 

Percy was a good roommate and friend, but he wasn't exactly good boyfriend material. Oliver felt he needed someone that was going to be a little more open with his affections then what Percy seemed capable of; not that he blamed Percy for being the way he was -some people liked to keep some things private. But he also felt that Percy didn't exactly see him in that way. 

Percy was gay, he had come to realize that after the debacle of a relationship with Penelope Clearwater. So it wasn't that he was completely oblivious to Oliver's good looks and charms and all that shite, but he just wasn't interested in him in that way. 

So the only thing Oliver could do was sit back and admire from afar. At least he didn't have much competition, should he decide to make a move on Percy. The boy wasn't exactly popular, and most, if not all, of the gay population of Hogwarts never got to see the side of Percy that he was allowed to see. It was one of his few blessings in life. 

"Listen, Wood, we all know that you're the better looking half of this roommate relationship. No need to study the ugly specimen to back up the already proven theory." The Brit was giving the Scot a wry look with a hint of humor shining in his eyes. 

Oliver just smirked. "If you're ugly, Weasley, then I don't even want to know what Flint would be categorized as."

"Butt ugly?" came the response.

"Not exactly up to par with your usual standards, but I guess it'll do..." 

"Very funny, Wood." There was a pause while Percy looked Oliver over as if to ascertain for any sign of...well...self inflicted injury. "Listen, Oliver...You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm all right. I'm not THAT psychotic..." Again, he got the face. Sometimes it was as if he said stupid stuff like that just to get Percy to raise that eyebrow the way he did. "Okay, so maybe I am...but that's beside the point. The point is, I'm fine... I was just thinking, know?"

"Yeah, I know... Listen, Oliver...I know that you're disappointed about the game today, but you did well. And had those Dementors not been there, I'm sure that Harry would have gotten the snitch... The loss wasn't due to anything you had any control over."

There was a reason why Percy was Head Boy, and this was it. Sure he had the best marks and all that shite, but it was Percy's ability to talk to people on a personal level that made him so attractive as a leader. Of course, seeing him with his family would make people feel otherwise, but he acted like that because he had to. It was a self defense mechanism. Pity he needed the mask nearly everyday, all day ever since the twins had come to Hogwarts. 

He remembered what Percy had been like their first two years together as housemates. He hadn't exactly been outgoing, but he'd been more open than he was now. There was just something about his family that made him close up. It was understandable, though, considering the twins and Ron had no scruples against abusing their older brother in public. Those blokes just brought out the worst in Percy, which, for lack of a better expression... well... sucked ass. 

"I'm sure that Ravenclaw will beat the shit out of Hufflepuff... you know that Chang will leave Diggory in the dirt... and then you'll have a shot at the finals. Don't worry so much about it, Wood. You'll win the Cup this year. It's fate. The powers that be would not let you walk away from Hogwarts without a championship under your belt. It's like one of those cheesy inspirational stories, know? The ones that tell children that you can accomplish anything if you just put your mind to it? The ones where the good guy always wins in the end? In this case you're the main character, therefore your team will win. I can see the passionate moment of victory right now..." And so Percy continued, describing the utter chaos that would ensue, the tears, the cheers. It ended up sounding a lot like a poem. 

"Okay, okay! I get it, Weasley. No need to overdo it!" Oliver laughed as he shoved past his friend into their room, the echo of laughter still ringing out in the bathroom. He turned around to see Percy leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed, lips turned up slightly, hinting at a smile. "You really think we have a shot?" 

"I don't think, Wood. I know."

"What makes you so sure?"

"You." 

~What?~ "What?"

Percy just rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You. I know Gryffindor will win because of you, and what you're like. I have faith in you, I know that somehow, someway, you'll win the Cup this year. You're too stubborn to let a minor thing like team standings get in the way of your dream... You will make it happen, Oliver. I trust in that," and then he flashed him the brightest smile that he'd ever seen. 

That was it. That was the moment in which, despite all of Percy's emotional faults, Oliver Wood took that step and crossed the line of infatuation and allowed himself to fall for his friend. 

Oliver had heard those words before, but never in his life had he heard them spoken with such honesty and faith. Percy had faith in him, and it wasn't just something that the red head had said to make him feel better. Percy never did stuff like that. He meant it, and Oliver could see it in the boy's face as he grinned at him. 

And it was the most open and...beautiful...smile Oliver had ever seen. It wasn't one of those usual Percy smiles that often seemed forced and unnatural, the ones that were tight lipped and stern looking. This was...REAL. This was Percy's real smile: toothy, somewhat flashy, and bright. This one lit up his entire face and formed little crinkles at the sides of his eyes. ~Oh wow...~

"You know, Wood. If you keep staring at me like that, I'm going start believing that you have a crush on me, and I don't think you want that. What? With a reputation like yours to keep up? And the fact that I am an insufferable prat when it comes to things that will blow up my ego. You know, I DO have a reputation of being quite the arrogant git..." 

"Percy?"

"And considering that I have..."

"Percy?"

"...hmmm?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you have great teeth?" ~Oh shite! Did I just say what I think I just said? Judging from the look on Percy's face, I think I just did. Shit! I was supposed to say "a great smile!" Not teeth! Damnit!~

"Er...thank you, Wood...I think. I guess dental hygiene is always important..."

Percy was still babbling about teeth and smiles and things like that when Oliver finally made up his mind to act. Without giving himself a second to reconsider, he swallowed Percy's incessant stream of words with his lips. 

A gasp. A mumbled something or other. And then an equally eager reaction answered his kiss. 

Some moments later, when they pulled apart, Percy looked him directly in the eyes and asked, "Was that because I said I had faith in you? Because if it is...then I'll have to make it point to compliment you more often."

Oliver couldn't help but laugh. "You really are something, you know that, Weasley?"

"Yes, well...I suppose." Percy face grew suddenly serious. "Oliver, why did you just kiss me?"

"I honestly don't know, Perce...I think..." He was about to say something incredibly stupid again, something worse than his teeth comment just before, when he caught himself. This was not a time for copping out with cheep humor, and he realized that now. "I know that after seven years of being friends with you...I've finally realized just how great you are, and I think I'm well on my way to falling in love with you."

"Really?"

He nodded in response.

"In LOVE?"

He nodded again. 

"With ME?"

"Yep."

"Hmmm...Interesting..."

Oliver's chocolate brown eyes flew up to meet blue ones. "Interesting?! That's all you've got to say?!" He was about to launch into an entire lecture of how he'd just confessed his love for the boy when he noticed the humor shining from deep within the blue depths of Percy's eyes. "You. Bloody. Git!" 

He didn't have time to say much else before his lips were captured in another kiss, a little more playful than the last one, but just as passionate. And when he pulled back, he saw that smile again, brighter this time, and he knew that he was in love. 

  
  


***

  
  


(*) Lines taken from Moulin Rouge. 


End file.
